WO2014070970A1

WO2014070970A1 - Liner retainer for liner-based storage and dispensing system

Info

Publication number: WO2014070970A1
Application number: PCT/US2013/067659
Authority: WO
Inventors: ByoungWoo YOO; Taesung Jung
Original assignee: Advanced Technology Materials Inc
Current assignee: Advanced Technology Materials Inc
Priority date: 2012-11-02
Filing date: 2013-10-31
Publication date: 2014-05-08
Anticipated expiration: 2015-05-02
Also published as: TWM482558U; KR20140058293A

Abstract

A liner-based assembly including an overpack having a mouth, a liner disposed within the overpack, the liner including a liner neck, and a retainer ring removably securable about the liner neck for securing the liner at the mouth of the overpack. The retainer ring may include a first half portion and a second half portion, joined at one end thereof by a hinge permitting the other ends thereof to open and close in a clam-shell manner about the hinge to removably secure to the liner neck. The retainer ring generally secures the vertical position of the liner neck within the overpack mouth.

Description

LINER RETAINER FOR LINER-BASED STORAGE AND DISPENSING

SYSTEM

Field of the Invention

[001] The present disclosure relates to novel and advantageous liner retainers for liner-based storage and dispensing systems. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a liner retainer that has features for minimizing the risk of damage occurring to the liner during insertion in, or removal of, the liner with respect to an overpack and/or placement, adjustment, or removal of the retainer with respect to the liner. Even more particularly, the liner retainer of the present disclosure in some embodiments includes curved edges forming a generally pie-shaped region or cut-out in the resting rim of the retainer that prevents or limits damage to the liner.

Background of the Invention

[002] Container systems may be used in many industries for storing, shipping and/or dispensing materials of any viscosity. For example, numerous manufacturing processes require the use of ultrapure liquids, such as acids, solvents, bases, photoresists, slurries, cleaning formulations, dopants, inorganic, organic, metalorganic and biological solutions, pharmaceuticals, and radioactive chemicals. Such applications require that the number and size of particles in the ultrapure liquids be minimized. In particular, because ultrapure liquids are used in many aspects of the microelectronic manufacturing process, semiconductor manufacturers have established strict particle concentration specifications for process chemicals and chemical-handling equipment. Such specifications are needed because, should the liquids used during the manufacturing process contain high levels of particles or bubbles, the particles or bubbles may be deposited on solid surfaces of the silicon. This can, in turn, lead to product failure and reduced quality and reliability.

[003] Typically, a shipping and dispensing system will include a container of some kind, and/or a liner, a cap that may be used to seal and protect the contents of the storage system when the contents are not being dispensed, and a connector that may be used to dispense the contents from the container. Further, in some embodiments one or more retaining elements may be used to help correctly orient a liner in an overpack and/or hold a liner in a stable position in an overpack, for example. Some known retainers are generally cylindrical in shape and are configured to open at a hinge point, in a clam shell fashion, such that the retainer can be positioned around the fitment or neck of a liner, for example. Once positioned, the retainer may be closed around the neck of a liner. In some cases, when the retainer is placed around the neck or fitment of the liner, and/or when the retainer is closed, the walls of the liner may be caught between the two closing ends of the retainer, which can result in damage to the liner, including causing rips or tears in, or weakening of the walls of a liner. As described above, the contents of a liner may include fluids, powder, etc. that may substantially lose or entirely lose their value if they are contaminated with ambient air, which may result in a loss of valuable material, time, money, and/or vendor/customer goodwill. Accordingly, for many applications it is important and/or critical that contaminants are kept out of the contents stored in a liner.

[004] Thus, there is a need for a liner retainer for a liner-based storage and dispense system that improve on traditional liner retainers used in such storage and dispense systems in one or more ways and overcomes or reduces the effects of the disadvantages described above.

Brief Summary of the Invention

[005] The present disclosure, in one embodiment, relates to a liner-based assembly including an overpack having a mouth, a liner disposed within the overpack, the liner including a liner neck, and a retainer ring removably securable about the liner neck for securing the liner at the mouth of the overpack. The retainer ring may include a first half portion and a second half portion, joined at one end thereof by a hinge permitting the other ends thereof to open and close in a clam-shell manner about the hinge to removably secure to the liner neck. The retainer ring generally secures the vertical position of the liner neck within the overpack mouth. The ends of the first and second half portions opposite the hinged ends may have curved regions on at least one corner thereof. The liner may typically be a flexible liner or a rigid collapsible liner. The liner neck, in some embodiments, is free to rotate within the retainer ring. In some embodiments, the hinge may be a living hinge comprised of the same material making up the first and second half portions. The retainer ring may include a first cylindrical ring portion formed by the first and second half portions that has an inner diameter that is substantially the same as, or slightly larger than, and complimentary with an outer diameter of the liner neck. Further yet, the retainer ring may include a second cylindrical ring portion formed by the first and second half portions and adjacent the first cylindrical ring portion, wherein the second cylindrical ring portion has an outer diameter that is substantially the same as, or slightly smaller than, and complimentary with an inner diameter of the overpack mouth. The ends of the first and second half portions opposite the hinged ends, when the retainer is secured around the liner neck, may generally form a gap between the ends having a first width that increases at and through the curved regions. In some embodiments, the retainer ring may also include one or more vent openings for permitting a gas to pass from the exterior of the overpack to an interior of the overpack between the overpack and liner.

[006] The present disclosure, in another embodiment, relates to a retainer ring for securing about the neck of a liner-based assembly, the retainer ring having two portions joined by a hinge, each portion having a hinged end and a closure end. The closure end of each of the two portions may include a curved region, and the closure ends of the two portions, when the retainer is secured about the neck of the liner, may form a gap between the ends having a first width that increases at and through the curved regions of the closure ends. In some embodiments, the two portions, when secured about the neck of the liner, may be configured to permit the neck of the liner to freely rotate. In further embodiments, the hinge may be a living hinge comprised of the same material making up the two portions. The retainer ring may have a first cylindrical ring portion formed by the two portions having an inner diameter that is substantially the same as, or slightly larger than, and complimentary with an outer diameter of the neck of the liner.

[007] While multiple embodiments are disclosed, still other embodiments of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which shows and describes illustrative embodiments of the disclosure. As will be realized, the various embodiments of the present disclosure are capable of modifications in various obvious aspects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[008] While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter that is regarded as forming the various embodiments of the present disclosure, it is believed that the disclosure will be better understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying Figures, in which:

[009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a liner retainer in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[010] FIG. 2A is a cut away view of a liner-based shipping and dispensing system, including a liner retainer in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[011] FIG. 2B is a perspective view of a liner-based shipping and dispensing system, including a liner retainer in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[012] FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view of a liner retainer in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[013] FIG. 3B is a blown up section of the liner retainer of FIG. 3 A.

[014] FIG. 4 is a back view of the liner retainer of FIG. 3 A.

[015] FIG. 5 is a top view of the liner retainer of FIG. 3 A.

Detailed Description

[016] The present disclosure relates to novel and advantageous liner retainers for liner-based storage, shipping and dispensing systems. One embodiment of a liner retainer of the present disclosure in the form of a retainer ring 100 is illustrated in FIG. 1. In general, a retainer ring 100 may be used for securing the neck of a liner in a liner-based assembly to an overpack of the liner-based assembly, to retain the liner in the desired positioning, particularly a vertical positioning, with respect to the overpack during storage, transport, and dispensing of contents stored within the liner and overpack. The retainer ring 100 may include two halve portions 102 and 104 joined by a hinge, each portion having a hinged end 106 and a closure end 108, the two halve portions configured for opening and closing in clam shell fashion so as to be placed and secured around the neck of a liner. In some embodiments, the closure ends 108 may be secured by means of a securing mechanism once the retaining ring is positioned about the fitment of the liner. The securing mechanism may be any suitable mechanism that permits a user to secure the closure ends and when desired unsecure the closure ends, including for example, but not limited to a clasp, buckle, clamp, clip, or any other suitable securing mechanism. Advantageously, the closure end 108 of each of the two halve portions 102 and 104 includes an arced or curved region, so as to create a relatively open area 120, to generally remove a pinching area in which the liner neck or other portion of the liner may become caught during closing of the closure ends 108 of the clam-shell halve portions or during insertion of the liner with the retainer attached thereto into position within the overpack.

[017] FIG. 2A is a cut away view of one example container system 200 for which a liner retainer of the present disclosure may be utilized. The container system 200 illustrated in FIG. 2A is but one example, and is provided only for illustration of a sample use of liner retainers of the various embodiments of the present disclosure. In general, a container system may be a liner-based shipping and dispense system 200 and may include a substantially rigid overpack 202, a liner 204 for storing the contents of the container system therein, and a liner retainer or retaining ring 100 for maintaining the liner 204 in place in the overpack 202. Additional embodiments may include a cap 240 and/or a closure 242, 242a for sealing the system 200 and/or a dispense connector for operably connecting with the liner mouth and discharging the contents of the liner for use in a downstream process. In some embodiments, cap and dispense connector may be provided as a single component providing multiple functionality, and in some cases, a unitary component. In still other embodiments, the cap and dispense connector may couple together and work in conjunction to provide multiple functionality without requiring removal of the cap.

[018] The overpack 202 may include an overpack wall, an interior cavity, and a mouth. The overpack 202 may be comprised of any suitable material or combination of materials, for example but not limited to, one or more polymers, including plastics, nylons, EVOH, polyolefins, or other natural or synthetic polymers. In further embodiments, the overpack 202 may be manufactured using polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), poly(butylene 2,6-naphthalate) (PBN), polyethylene (PE), linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), medium-density polyethylene (MDPE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), and/or a fluoropolymer, such as but not limited to, polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), and perfluoroalkoxy (PFA). The overpack 202 may also be comprised of one or more metals and/or glass. The overpack 202 may be of any suitable shape or configuration, such as, but not limited to, a bottle, a can, a drum, etc.

[019] As described above, the shipping and dispense system 200 may include a liner 204, which may be disposed within the overpack 202. The liner 204 may include a liner wall, an interior cavity 210, and a mouth. The mouth of the liner 204 may include a fitment portion 214, which may more clearly be seen in Figure 2B. The fitment portion 214 may be made of a different material than the rest of the liner 204 and may be harder, more resilient, and/or less flexible than the rest of the liner. The fitment portion 214 may be configured so as to couple with a cap and/or dispense connector, for sealing and/or dispense, by any suitable means, such as but not limited to, complementary threading, snap-fit or friction-fit means, bayonet means, or any other suitable mechanism or combination of mechanisms for coupling, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. In some embodiments, a cap or dispense connector may couple to, or may alternatively or additionally couple to, the mouth of the overpack 202.

[020] In some embodiments, the liner 204 may be a collapsible liner that is substantially flexible. Certain advantages associated with embodiments of the present disclosure may be particularly realized when used in connection with flexible liners, because retaining rings are more likely to cause damage to flexible liner walls than to more rigid liner walls. Flexible liners may take any suitable or desirable shape, including, for example, a two-dimensional pillow type liner, or a three-dimensional tube type liner with connected top and bottom portions. However, in other embodiments the liner may be somewhat rigid but still collapsible, e.g., a rigid collapsible liner, or a rigid liner. The use of the retaining ring of the present disclosure may still be advantageous over known retainer rings that may tend to scratch, dent, and/or otherwise weaken the walls of the liner when the retaining ring is closed around the fitment of the liner. The liner 204 may be manufactured using any suitable material or combination of materials, such as but not limited to, any of the materials or combination of materials listed above with respect to the overpack 202. However, the overpack 202 and liner 204 need not be manufactured from the same materials. In some embodiments, the material or materials selected and the thickness of that material or those materials may determine the rigidity of the liner 204. The liner 204 may have one or more layers and may have any desirable thickness. A liner 204 may have a thickness of, for example, from about 0.05 mm to about 3 mm, or any other suitable thickness.

[021] The liner 204 may be configured to comprise any desirable shape that is appealing to the user, and/or assists in the collapse of the liner. The liner 204, in some embodiments, may be dimensioned and shaped to substantially conform to the interior of the overpack 202. As such, the liner 202 may have a relatively simplistic design with a generally smooth outer surface, or the liner may have a relatively complicated design including, for example but not limited to, indentations and/or protrusions. In some embodiments, the liner wall may include a generally textured surface in order to minimize leaching and/or adhesion. For example, in some embodiments, the surface may include a plurality of bumps, scales, or projections, which may each have any appropriate size, for example, but not limited to, from about 0.5 - 100 μιη. Texturizing features may be spaced any suitable distance from one another. In some embodiments, the texturizing may comprise a framework, such as a lattice or scaffold, for example. Examples of some suitable texturizing features are described in greater detail in U.S. Provisional Patent Appln. No. 61/334,006, titled, "Fluid Processing Components with Textured Surface for Decreased Adhesion and Related Methods," filed May 12, 2010, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. The liner 204 may have a relatively thin liner wall, as compared to the thickness of the overpack wall. In some embodiments, the liner 202 may be flexible such that the liner wall may be readily collapsed, such as by vacuum through the mouth 212 or by pressure between the liner wall and overpack wall, referred to herein as the annular space therebetween. The liner may or may also include pre-folds, fold lines, and/or panels that may help the liner collapse in a predetermined way, in some embodiments. Further, the liner may also have features that may help prevent or eliminate choke off.

[022] The liner 204, in a further embodiment, may have a shape, when inflated or filled, that is different from, but complimentary with, the shape of the overpack 202 such that it may be disposed therein. In some embodiments, the liner 204 may be removably attached to the interior of the overpack wall. The liner 204 may provide a barrier, such as a gas barrier, against drive gas migration from the annular space between the liner wall and the overpack wall. Accordingly, the liner 204 may generally ensure and/or maintain the purity of the contents within the liner.

[023] In some embodiments, particularly where sterility of the contents of the liner must be substantially maintained, the liner 204 may be comprised of a material that may help ensure or maintain a sterile environment for the contents disposed in the liner. For example, in some embodiments the liner may be comprised of T 8 manufactured by ATMI of Danbury, Connecticut, or any other suitable material. As noted above, in some embodiments, the liner 204 may comprise multiple layers. The multiple layers may comprise one or more different polymers or other suitable materials. In some embodiments, the thickness, ply, and/or the composition of the liner and/or the layers of the liner may allow for the secure and substantially uncontaminated shipment of the contents of the liner-based system of the present disclosure by limiting or eliminating typical weaknesses or problems associated with traditional liners or packages, such as, for example weld tears, pin holes, gas entrainment, and/or any other means of contamination. Similarly, or in addition, the liner 204 may also contribute to the secure and substantially uncontaminated shipment of the contents of the shipping and dispense system 200 of the present disclosure by configuring the liner to substantially conform to the shape of the overpack when the liner is filled, thereby reducing the amount of movement of the contents during shipping.

[024] The overpack 202 and liner 204 may each be manufactured using any suitable manufacturing process, such as but not limited to, injection blow molding, injection stretch blow molding, extrusion, etc., and may each be manufactured as a single component or may be a combination of multiple components. In some embodiments, the overpack 202 and liner 204 may be blow molded in a nested fashion, also referred to herein as co-blow molded. Examples of liner-based systems and methods utilizing co- blow molding techniques have been described in greater detail in International PCT Appl. No. PCT/US1 1/55560, titled, "Nested Blow Molded Liner and Overpack and Methods of Making Same," filed October 10, 201 1, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In some embodiments a liner may be blow molded into an already formed overpack, whereby the overpack may function as the mold for the liner, and may also be referred to as "dual blow molding." In such embodiments, the overpack may be manufactured by any suitable process.

[025] The liner-based shipping and dispensing systems described herein may be configured as any suitable shape, including but not limited to square, rectangular, triangular or pyramidal, cylindrical, or any other suitable polygon or other shape. Differently shaped dispensers can improve packing density during storage and/or transportation, and may reduce overall transportation costs. Additionally, differently shaped dispensers can be used to differentiate dispensers from one another, such as to provide an indicator of the contents provided within the dispensers or to identify for which application or applications the contents are to be used, etc. In still further embodiments, the dispensers described herein may be configured as any suitable shape in order to "retrofit" the dispensers with existing dispense assemblies or dispense systems.

[026] Examples of some of the types of materials that may be stored, shipped, and/or dispensed using embodiments of the present disclosure include, but are not limited to: ultrapure liquids, such as acids, solvents, bases, photoresists, slurries, detergents, cleaning formulations, dopants, inorganic, organic, metalorganics, TEOS, and biological solutions, DNA and RNA solvents and reagents, pharmaceuticals, printable electronics inorganic and organic materials, lithium ion or other battery type electrolytes, nanomaterials (including for example, fullerenes, inorganic nanoparticles, sol-gels, and other ceramics), and radioactive chemicals; pesticides/fertilizers; paints/glosses/solvents/coating-materials etc.; adhesives; power washing fluids; lubricants for use in the automobile or aviation industry, for example; food products, such as but not limited to, condiments, cooking oils, and soft drinks, for example; reagents or other materials for use in the biomedical or research industry; hazardous materials used by the military, for example; polyurethanes; agrochemicals; industrial chemicals; cosmetic chemicals; petroleum and lubricants; sealants; health and oral hygiene products and toiletry products; or any other material that may be dispensed by pressure dispense, for example. Materials that may be used with embodiments of the present disclosure may have any viscosity, including high viscosity and low viscosity fluids. Those skilled in the art will recognize the benefits of the disclosed embodiments, and therefore will recognize the suitability of the disclosed embodiments to various industries and for the transportation and dispense of various products. In some embodiments, the storage, shipping, and dispensing systems may be particularly useful in industries relating to the manufacture of semiconductors, flat panel displays, LEDs, and solar panels; industries involving the application of adhesives and polyamides; industries utilizing photolithography technology; or any other critical material delivery application. However, the various embodiments disclosed herein may be used in any suitable industry or application.

[027] The liner-based systems of the present disclosure may hold up to approximately 200 liters, in some embodiments. Alternatively, the liner-based systems may hold up to approximately 20 liters. Alternatively, the liner-based systems may hold approximately 1 to 5 liters, or less. It will be appreciated that the referenced container sizes are examples only and that the liner-based systems of the present disclosure may be readily adapted for use with a wide variety of sized and shaped shipping and dispensing containers.

[028] The entire liner-based system of the present disclosure may be used a single-time and then disposed of, in some embodiments. In other embodiments, the overpack, for example, may be reused while the liner and/or any closures or connectors may be used only a single time. In still other embodiments, some portion of the closure and/or connector may be configured for a one-time use while other portions of the closure and/or connector may be configured for repeated use.

[029] Further examples and embodiments of the type of liners and overpacks that may be used are disclosed in more detail in: International PCT Appl. No. PCT/US 1 1/55558, titled, "Substantially Rigid Collapsible Liner, Container and/or Liner for Replacing Glass Bottles, and Enhanced Flexible Liners," filed October 10, 201 1 ; International PCT Appl. No. PCT/US 11/55560, titled, "Nested Blow Molded Liner and Overpack and Methods of Making Same," filed October 10, 201 1; International PCT Appl. No. PCT/US11/64141 , titled "Generally Cylindrically-Shaped Liner for Use in Pressure Dispense Systems and Methods of Manufacturing the Same," filed December 9, 2011 ; U.S. Prov. Appl. No. 61/703,996, titled "Liner-Based Shipping and Dispensing Systems," filed September 21, 2012; U.S. Prov. Appl. No. 61/468,832, titled "Liner- Based Dispenser," filed March 29, 201 1 and related International PCT Appln. No. PCT/US201 1/061764, filed November 22, 2011 ; U.S. Prov. Appl. No. 61/525,540, titled "Liner-Based Dispensing Systems," filed August 19, 201 1 and related International PCT Appln. No. PCT/US201 1/061771, filed November 22, 201 1 ; U.S. Pat. Appl. No. 13/149,844, titled "Fluid Storage and Dispensing Systems and Processes," filed May 31 , 2000 U.S. Pat. Appl. No. 11/915,996, titled "Fluid Storage and Dispensing Systems and Processes," filed June 5, 2006; International PCT Appl. No. PCT/US 10/51786, titled "Material Storage and Dispensing System and Method With Degassing Assembly," filed October 7, 2010; International PCT Appl. No. PCT/US 10/41629; U.S. Pat. No. 7,335,721 ; U.S. Pat. Appl. No. 11/912,629; U.S. Pat. Appl. No. 12/302,287; International PCT Appl. No. PCT/US08/85264; U.S. Pat. Appl. No. 12/745,605, filed February 15, 201 1 ; U.S. Prov. Appln. No. 61/605,01 1, titled "Liner-Based Shipping and Dispensing System," filed February 29, 2012; and U.S. Prov. Appln. No. 61/561,493, titled "Closure/Connectors for Liner-Based Shipping and Dispensing Containers," filed November 18, 2011, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. The overpack 202 and liner 204 for use with the shipping and dispense system 200 of the present disclosure may include any of the embodiments, features, and/or enhancements disclosed in any of the above noted applications, including, but not limited to, flexible, rigid collapsible, 2-dimensional, 3 -dimensional, welded, molded, gusseted, and/or non-gusseted liners, and/or liners that contain folds and/or liners that comprise methods for limiting or eliminating choke-off and liners sold under the brand name NOWpak® by ATMI, Inc. for example. Various features of dispensing systems disclosed in embodiments described herein may be used in combination with one or more other features described with regard to other embodiments.

[030] The retaining ring 100, as illustrated in FIG. 2, may be configured to fit over and around the liner neck or mouth, and more particularly, the fitment portion 214 of the liner 204. In some embodiments, the retaining ring 100 may be manually positioned in such a position. The retaining ring 100 may couple to the neck or fitment 214 of the liner by any suitable method, for example by snap fit, complementary threading, or any other suitable method. In other embodiments, the retaining ring 100 may be positioned around the neck or fitment 214 of the liner 204 but may not be statically coupled to the liner, thereby allowing the retaining ring 100 to move freely about the neck or fitment of the liner.

[031] A basic function of the retaining ring 100, in some embodiments, may be to ensure that the liner neck, mouth, and/or fitment 214 remain consistently positioned at substantially the desired vertical position relative the overpack mouth and/or substantially the desired annular position relative the overpack mouth. In some cases, for example, it may be desirable to maintain the liner fitment 214 in a substantially static vertical position relative the overpack mouth, as such positioning may aid in complete filling and/or dispensing of the contents within the liner 204, and aid in keeping out or minimizing impurities and/or minimizing the creation of bubbles in the contents of the liner. The retaining ring 100 may further include features that aid in the prevention of rotation of the liner, if desired.

[032] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3 A, a retaining ring 100 of the present disclosure, in one embodiment, may be generally cylindrical in shape so as to be generally complimentary with the fitment 214 of the liner and the mouth of the overpack 202. Particularly, in one embodiment, the retaining ring 100 may include an upper generally cylindrical ring 302 and a lower generally cylindrical ring 304. The upper cylindrical ring 302 may have an inner diameter that is substantially the same as, or slightly larger than, and complimentary with the exterior diameter of the fitment 212 of the liner 202. The lower cylindrical ring 304 may have an outer diameter that is substantially the same as, or slightly smaller than, and complimentary with the inner diameter of the mouth of the overpack 202. In this regard, the retaining ring 100 may generally secure the fitment 214 of the liner within the upper cylindrical ring 302 and may itself be secured within the mouth of the overpack 202 by means of the lower cylindrical ring 304. The upper cylindrical ring 302 may further include an annular top ledge 308. The fitment 214 of the liner 204 may be configured with a portion having a diameter larger than that which fits within the upper cylindrical ring 302, and is designed to be supported by or upon top ledge 308. In this regard, liner 204 will not slip out and down from retaining ring 100 and into the interior of the overpack. Likewise, the upper cylindrical ring 302 may be connected with lower cylindrical ring 304 by a substantially perpendicular surface 330. Radially extending surface 310 may protrude radially from the bottom of perpendicular surface 330 some distance, x, as illustrated more visibly in FIG. 3B, forming an annular bottom ledge 312. The bottom ledge 312 may be configured to rest upon a top portion of the mouth of the overpack 202 when the lower cylindrical ring 404 is positioned within the mouth of the overpack, thereby supporting retaining ring 100 in a substantially static vertical position with respect to the overpack.

[033] The retaining ring 100 of the present disclosure may be comprised of two halve portions 102 and 104, divided on one side of the retaining ring by a receiving slot 314 and on an opposite side, illustrated in FIG. 4, by a hinge portion, including hinge 402. Each halve portion 102 and 104 may include a hinged end 106, connected to one another via hinge 402, and a closure end 108 adjacent the receiving slot 314. The closure ends 108 may be detachably securable via a securing mechanism, including, but not limited to a claps, clip, clamp, or any other suitable securing mechanism. In other embodiments, the closure ends 108 may not be secured by a securing mechanism. The hinge 402 may be any suitable means for coupling the two halve portions 102 and 104 at their hinged ends 106. In one embodiment, the hinge 402 may be a living hinge, made of the same or substantially the same material as the remainder of the retaining ring 100, but generally configured to be somewhat flexible to permit the two halve portions 102 and 104 to open and close, in clam shell fashion, at their closure ends 108, thereby increasing and decreasing, respectively, the size of the receiving slot 314. In an open position, the two halve portions 102 and 104 are separated at their closure ends 108 far enough to permit the neck or fitment 214 of a liner 204 therein. Once the liner neck or fitment 214 is positioned through the receiving slot 314 and within the interior of the opened two halve portions 102 and 104, the two halve portions may be closed, in clam shell fashion, to the original closed position, decreasing the receiving slot to a size too small for the liner fitment 214 to slip out of the upper cylindrical ring 302, which conforms to the exterior of the fitment, securing the fitment therein. In embodiments of the retaining ring that include a securing mechanism, the closure ends 108 may be secured. The liner 204 and attached retaining ring 100 may be positioned through the mouth 208 of the overpack 202, lower cylindrical ring first, until the annular bottom ledge 312 rests on an upper portion of the overpack mouth, thereby supporting the retainer ring and attached liner, by the liner mouth or fitment 214, in a substantially static vertical position with respect to the mouth of the overpack. In some embodiments, the lower cylindrical ring may taper inward to form a lead-in portion 460, as shown in Figure 4, which may make placement of the retaining ring easier.

[034] As explained previously, with conventional retaining rings, opening and closing the retaining ring around the neck of a liner may inadvertently trap a portion of the liner wall in the closing ends of the retainer, resulting in damage to the liner. Typically, conventional liners have a receiving slot that has a consistent and small width, and thus, the damage is caused at a lower end of the receiving slot 314, by bottom corners of the lower cylindrical ring at the closure ends of the retainer halve portions 102 and 104. Because these corners in conventional retaining rings can be sharp or pointed, they can cause significant damage if special attention and time-consuming efforts are not taken to ensure no portion of the liner gets caught in the receiving slot upon closing the retainer around a fitment of a liner.

[035] Embodiments of the present disclosure overcome or limit the risk of damage to the liner during closure of the retainer by providing the bottom corners 316 of the lower cylindrical ring 304, nearest the bottom of the receiving slot 314, with substantially arced or curved edges, thereby softening the edges at each bottom corner 316 and therefore also softening the entrance to the receiving slot. As may be seen in FIG. 3 A, for example, the curved bottom corners 316 may create a generally, although not necessarily perfectly, pie-shaped opening 318 at the bottom of the receiving slot 314. The bottom corners 316 of the lower cylindrical ring 304, in one embodiment, may comprise any suitable radius configured to provide softened edges at the bottom of the receiving slot 314 and provide an opening 318 large enough to permit the liner wall to slip out of the receiving slot without pinching, which in many embodiments may depend on the thickness of the liner. In specific embodiments, the bottom of the opening 318 may have a width, wl, that is twice, three times, quaudruple, or more the width, w2, of the receiving slot not adjacent the curved bottom corners 316. In this regard, the curved bottom comers reduce or eliminate the effects of any small tight space existing between the two halve portions 102 and 104 at the closure ends 108 adjacent the receiving slot that may otherwise easily trap and/or damage the walls of a liner.

[036] While the opening 318 in some embodiments may be generally pie- shaped, in other embodiments, the opening may have another geometry, such as a generally oblong, square or any other shape, depending on the shape of the curve of the bottom corners 316. For example, instead of curving downward to round off an otherwise square edge, the curve might extend upward before curving toward the resting rim, thereby creating a square or oval shape when in a closed position.

[037] In additional embodiments, the retaining ring 100 may include one or more tabs 320, radially extending from the retaining ring, such as but not limited to, from the upper cylindrical ring 302 or any other suitable location. The radially extending tabs 320 may extend any suitable distance from the upper cylindrical ring 302 or other suitable portion of the retaining ring 100, and may be used manually or using a tool adapted for gripping the tabs to pull the retaining ring, with liner attached, up and out of the mouth of the overpack 202 with relative ease. In this regard, tabs 320 may act as handles.

[038] In still further embodiments, particularly those configured for use in liner- based systems for indirect pressure dispense, the retaining ring 100 may include one or more vents 322 located at any suitable location, such as but not limited to, on radially extending surface 310. The vents 322 may allow a gas to be introduced into the annular space between the liner and the overpack, thereby creating pressure on the walls of the liner and collapsing them such that the contents of the liner may be more easily dispensed. Accordingly, the vents 322 may be useful during indirect pressure dispense and pressure assisted pump dispense, for example.

[039] The retaining ring 100, and any portions thereof, may be comprised of any suitable material or combination of materials, for example but not limited to, any of the materials or combination of materials listed above with respect to the overpack 202 and liner 204. Likewise, the retainer ring 100 may be manufactured using any suitable manufacturing process, such as but not limited to, any type of molding, including injection molding, cast molding, injection blow molding, injection stretch blow molding, extrusion, etc., and may each be manufactured as a single component or may be a combination of multiple components.

[040] The various embodiments of storage and dispense systems described herein may be utilized in any suitable dispense processes. For example, the various embodiments of storage and dispense systems described herein may be utilized in pressure dispense processes, including direct and indirect pressure dispense, pump dispense, and pressure-assisted pump dispense, including various embodiments of inverted dispense methods disclosed in Korean patent registration no. 10-0973707, titled "Apparatus for Supplying Fluid," which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. Similarly, the various embodiments of storage and dispense system described herein may be utilized in traditional manual or automatic pour methods.

[041] Generally, in use, a liner-based system of the present disclosure may be initially readied for filling and/or shipped to a fill site. Prior to filling, the retaining ring may be secured about the fitment of the liner, and the liner may then be positioned in the overpack. In other embodiments, the liner may first be positioned in the overpack and the retaining ring may then be secured to or around the fitment of the liner and the mouth of the overpack. Once properly configured, the liner-based system may subsequently be filled with a desired substance and may be shipped to an end-user. The liner may be filled with, or contain, for example, an ultrapure liquid, such as an acid, solvent, base, photoresist, dopant, inorganic, organic, or biological solution, pharmaceutical, or radioactive chemical. However, it is recognized that the liner may be filled with any other suitable materials, such as but not limited to the materials previously listed.

[042] The liner may be filled to the top of the liner in some embodiments, leaving generally no excess space for headspace gas, while in other embodiments there may be some relatively small amount of space left at the top of the liner. "Headspace" refers to the amount of gas, such as air for example, that remains at the top of the liner after the liner has been filled with a desired substance. Limiting or substantially eliminating headspace in a filled liner may be advantageous because it may limit or substantially eliminate the risk of headspace gas contaminating the contents of the liner, when for example, the liner-based assembly is moved during shipping. Thus, in some embodiments, any headspace gas, or a substantial portion of headspace gas may be removed prior to, during, or after sealing the liner.

[043] Once the liner has been filled, the liner may be sealed, secured, and/or capped in any suitable manner that keeps the substance within the liner and minimizes or substantially eliminates exposure of the substance to contaminants outside of the liner. The contents may be sealed under pressure, if desired, and may further be wrapped in a bag and/or box to be readied for transport. In some embodiments, some or any headspace may be removed after a cap or connector is secured to the liner. In such embodiments, the annular space between the liner and the overpack may be pressurized so as to compress the walls of the liner inward, thereby forcing any headspace out of the liner and into a holding area in a cap and/or connector, for example, as is further described in U.S. Prov. Appln. No. 61/561,493, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. It will be understood, however, that any suitable method of removing headspace is contemplated and within the scope of the present disclosure.

[044] The end-user may then store and/or dispense the contents of the container.

When it is desired to dispense the contents of the liner, the cap may be removed and the dispense connector may be operably connected to the fitment portion of the liner. As discussed above, in some embodiments, cap and dispense connector may be provided as a single component providing multiple functionality, and in some cases, a unitary component, and as such removal of the cap may be unnecessary. In still other embodiments, the cap and connector may couple together and work in conjunction to provide multiple functionality without requiring removal of the cap.

[045] In the foregoing description various embodiments of the invention have been presented for the purpose of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiments were chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principals of the invention and its practical application, and to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth they are fairly, legally, and equitably entitled.

Claims

Claims What is claimed is:

1. A liner-based assembly comprising:

an overpack having a mouth;

a liner disposed within the overpack, the liner including a liner neck; and a retainer ring removably securable about the liner neck for securing the liner at the mouth of the overpack, the retainer ring comprising:

a first half portion and a second half portion, joined at one end thereof by a hinge permitting the other ends thereof to open and close in a clam-shell manner about the hinge to removably secure to the liner neck;

wherein the ends of the first and second half portions opposite the hinged ends have curved regions on at least one corner thereof.

2. The liner-based assembly of claim 1 , wherein the liner is a flexible liner or a rigid collapsible liner.

3. The liner-based assembly of claim 2, wherein the liner neck is free to rotate within the retainer ring.

4. The liner-based assembly of claim 2, wherein the hinge is a living hinge comprised of the same material making up the first and second half portions.

5. The liner-based assembly of claim 1 , wherein the retainer ring comprises a first cylindrical ring portion formed by the first and second half portions having an inner diameter that is substantially the same as, or slightly larger than, and complimentary with an outer diameter of the liner neck.

6. The liner-based assembly of claim 5, wherein the retainer ring comprises a second cylindrical ring portion formed by the first and second half portions and adjacent the first cylindrical ring portion the second cylindrical ring portion having an outer diameter that is substantially the same as, or slightly smaller than, and complimentary with an inner diameter of the overpack mouth.

7. The liner-based assembly of claim 1, wherein the retainer ring substantially secures a vertical position of the liner neck within the overpack mouth.

8. The liner-based assembly of claim 7, wherein the liner neck is free to rotate within the retainer ring at the secured vertical position.

9. The liner-based assembly of claim 1 , wherein the ends of the first and second half portions opposite the hinged ends, when the retainer is secured around the liner neck, form a gap between the ends having a first width that increases at and through the curved regions.

10. The liner-based assembly of claim 9, wherein the retainer ring comprises one or more vent openings for permitting a gas to pass from the exterior of the overpack to an interior of the overpack between the overpack and liner.

1 1. A retainer ring for securing about the neck of a liner-based assembly, the retainer ring comprising two portions joined by a hinge, each portion having a hinged end and a closure end, wherein the closure end of each of the two portions has a curved region, and wherein the closure ends of the two portions, when the retainer is secured about the neck of the liner, form a gap between the ends having a first width that increases at and through the curved regions of the closure ends.

12. The retainer ring of claim 11 , wherein the two portions, when secured about the neck of the liner, are configured to permit the neck of the liner to freely rotate.

13. The retainer ring of claim 11 , wherein the hinge is a living hinge comprised of the same material making up the two portions.

14. The retainer ring of claim 11, further comprising a first cylindrical ring portion fonned by the two portions having an inner diameter that is substantially the same as, or slightly larger than, and complimentary with an outer diameter of the neck of the liner.

15. The retainer ring of claim 11 , further comprising one or more vent openings for permitting a gas to pass therethrough.